Photo: Honda
Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu, and Daihatsu. Of the mainstream Japanese automakers, only one started as the idea of one man, an idea that fully reflected that man’s zest and ambition. What didn’t cross the mind of Soichiro Honda, however, is that his company would reach a production milestone few other automakers can be proud of: 100 million automobiles produced.
Established in 1948, Honda started with motorcycles. After the 1949 D-Type, Honda leveled up to the status of world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer by 1964. With plenty of money in the bag from its two-wheeled division, Soichiro had another idea: “Hey, wouldn’t it be neat if we double the amount of wheels?” And so the company did in 1963 with something called the T360.
The little truck at the left of the featured image? That, dear reader, is genesis. Six years after the T360 mini-truck started to roll off the assembly line in Saitama, Japan, Honda opened its first overseas plant in Taiwan. By 1978, cumulative worldwide production of cars and trucks reached 5 million vehicles. Not bad at all for a division that was then 15 years old.
In December 2016, just before Christmas comes into its own, Honda celebrates 53 years and six months since it introduced the T360 mini-truck, and boy how things have changed since then. With 100 million automobiles to its name and 34 automobile production plants on five continents, it’s crystal clear that things can only go forward for the Japanese automaker.
Takahiro Hachigo, president and chief executive officer of Honda Motor, is chuffed to bits by this milestone. “The passion of our company founder who wanted to help people in their daily lives and pursue the joy of driving has been inherited by Honda associates as the original starting point of Honda automobile manufacturing,” he said. “Striving to meet the next 100 million customers, Honda will continue delivering increasingly attractive products.”
The little truck at the left of the featured image? That, dear reader, is genesis. Six years after the T360 mini-truck started to roll off the assembly line in Saitama, Japan, Honda opened its first overseas plant in Taiwan. By 1978, cumulative worldwide production of cars and trucks reached 5 million vehicles. Not bad at all for a division that was then 15 years old.
In December 2016, just before Christmas comes into its own, Honda celebrates 53 years and six months since it introduced the T360 mini-truck, and boy how things have changed since then. With 100 million automobiles to its name and 34 automobile production plants on five continents, it’s crystal clear that things can only go forward for the Japanese automaker.
Takahiro Hachigo, president and chief executive officer of Honda Motor, is chuffed to bits by this milestone. “The passion of our company founder who wanted to help people in their daily lives and pursue the joy of driving has been inherited by Honda associates as the original starting point of Honda automobile manufacturing,” he said. “Striving to meet the next 100 million customers, Honda will continue delivering increasingly attractive products.”
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